GREEN & SUSTAINABLE

Stretching along the Pacific coast of northern Baja California and most of Alta Cali­fornia, Acorn Nation embraces the mountains, valleys, and coastal plains that share a Mediterranean climate. From prehistoric through early historic times, most of its peoples hunted, fished, and gathered plants, although many also tended perennial food plants through the use of fire, pruning, and digging-stick cultivation. Clam beds were also tended. The acorns of numerous species of oaks provided staple foodstuffs to many cultural communities, who used ingeniously designed baskets to leach them in streams.

Early Spanish settlers introduced orchard fruits, annual crops, and livestock from the Medi­terranean climates of the Old World. From the time of the California Gold Rush onward, numerous immigrant groups added to the culinary diversity of the region. Although more species are endangered in California by intense urban and agricultural development than in any other state on the mainland, few of these (other than fish) were historically used as food. Nevertheless, at least sixty-two foods are threatened or endangered in Acorn Nation and the waters adjacent to it.

– excerpted from Renewing America’s Food Traditions, edited by Gary Nabhan, with the permission of Chelsea Green Publishing (www.chelseagreen.com)

Disappearing Foods | Recipes | Tips | Related Links | Full List of Disappearing Foods | Back to Map

Disappearing Foods

• American/Klamath Plum
• Cow Cod
• Crawford, Baby Peach
• Gravenstein (Sonoma) Apples
• Mariposa Plum
• Mexicola Avocado
• Meyer Lemon
• Sacramento River Chinook Salmon
• Tomales Bay Clam
• Walking Stick Kale
• See Full List

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Find EatingWell recipes for:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Clams
• Lemons
• Peaches
• Plums
• Salmon
• Seafood
• Winter Greens

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Tips to preserve heritage and heirloom foods:

• Become a seed saver through the Seed Saver Exchange (seedsavers.org).
• Purchase heirloom produce and heritage livestock breeds (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, albc.usa.org).
• If you think a food is endangered, nominate it to the Slow Ark of Taste, slowfoodusa.org.
• Support community agriculture, farmers' markets and local food groups.
• Attend events that celebrate local foods.

Read more about Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT).

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Related Links

Healthy Antioxidant Rich Recipes and Tips
The Avocado Advantage
Winter Greens: In the short days of winter, dark leafy greens are at their best
America’s Best Farmers’ Markets
Native Nutrition: A movement to preserve heritage foods

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Disappearing Foods (Full List)

Alicante Bouschet Grape

American/Klamath Plum

Atwood Navel Orange

B. S. Fox Pear

Bidwell Casaba Melon

Black Abalone

Bronx Seedless Grape

Burbank Plum

California Grunion

Campbell Valencia Orange

Charbono Grape

Colonel Wilder Pear

Concord, California Grape

Cow Cod

Crane Melon

Crawford, Baby Peach

Delta Smelt

Dry Farmed Almond

Elephant Heart Plum

Engelmann's Acorn

Giant Sea Bass

Gravenstein (Sonoma) Apples

Green Sea Turtle

Inca Plum

Jepson's Onion

Kelsey Plum

Laroda Plum

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Lingcod

Mariposa Plum

Mexicola Avocado

Meyer Lemon

Mission Grape

Mission Olive

Muir Peach

Munz's Onion

Muscat of Alexandria Grape

Napa Gamay/Valdaguie Grape

Newhall Navel Orange

(Northern) California Black Walnut, Hinds or Claro Walnut

Northern California Coho Salmon

Nova Apples

Ojai Pixie Tangerine

Olinda Valencia Orange

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Pacific Black Cod

Pacific Bluestem No. 47 Hard White Spring Wheat

Pacific Rockfish

Padre Plum

Passey's Onion

Pinto Abalone

Red Abalone

Redlands No. 4 Jujube

Sacramento River Chinook Salmon

Sacramento-San Joaquin Steelhead

San Clemente Goats

Santa Cruz Sheep

Santa Rosa Plum

Shiro Plum

Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep

Silver Logan Peach

Southern California Steelhead

Strawberry Free Peach

Tokay Seedless Grape

Tomales Bay Clam

Walking Stick Kale

Washington Navel Orange, Parent/ Old Linr

White Abalone

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